IDF kills 3 in Gaza as mediators move to protect fragile ceasefire

A tank bearing the Israeli flag in Gaza. 20th Oct 2025.
Reuters

Israeli Military has confirmed it opened fire on what it called "several approaching terrorists" who crossed the yellow line in the Shejaiya area in Gaza, sparking fears that the ceasefire will not hold.

In a post on X, it said there were two seperate incidents where the IDF troops were approached, "posing an immediate threat to them". 

It then said that troops are deployed to the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat. 

This comes as American envoys are expected in Israel for talks to usher in the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. They include Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and possibly Vice President JD Vance. 

A Palestinian official familiar with the matter confirmed to Reuters that efforts by Arab mediators and US will ramp up on Monday after calm was restored in Gaza following a day of intense bombardments that killed at least 28 people. 

Israel said it launched the strikes after two of its soldiers who were operating within the agreed yellow line were killed in an attack in Southern Gaza.

Gaza city residents said they were confused about where the line rusn with physical markings yet to be established along mosr if the route. 

Recovery of bodies of deceased hostages remain a sore topic as the ceasefire continues to hold, with Israel still waiting to receive the bodies of 16 more hostages thought to be in Gaza. 

Israe believes Hamas is able to hand over up to six more of the bodies immediately while Hamas said it had located another hostage body it would return to Israel if conditions allowed. 

With the truce still uncertain, Gaza residents fear more violence.

"I felt my heart dropping to the ground, I felt the ceasefire collapsed," said Abu Abdallah, a Gaza City businessman, displaced in the central Gaza Strip.

"What happened yesterday made people go crazy to buy food, greedy merchants hiked the prices, the deal looks so fragile," he told Reuters via a chat app.

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